Safety steering device for automobiles.



F. M. ROSS,

SAFETY STEERING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16. I915.

Patented Nov. 27, 191?.

WITNESSES IN VENTOR.

57 a W as By {I lUNllTED %TATFS PATENT @FFTQE.

FREDERICK M. BOSS, 015 CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SAFETY STEERING DEVTGE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed. July 16, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonnrox M. Ross, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety SteeringDevices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in safety steering devices for,automobiles and has for an object to produce a safety steering'device inwhich the reach rod connecting the steering knuckles is reinforcedbetween its ends.

A further object is to produce a safety stering device in which a singlecompression spring is employed for operating the device and for takingup movements in both directions of the operating portions thereof.

A. further object is to produce an improved safety steering device inwhich means are provided for adjusting the position of the operatingportions of the device to bring the front road wheels to their normalstraight ahead positions should any portion of the steering mechanismbreak.

These and other objects are attained in the steering device described inthe following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the front axle, front road wheels, and aportion of the steering mechanism of an automobile, with a safetysteering device embodying my invention mounted in position on the frontaxle and operatively connected with the steering mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, taken onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a modification of the device embodying myinvention.

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a detail of the steering device shown inFigs. 5 and 6.

The steering device forming the preferred embodyment of my invention,and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, consists of a plate 8 havingapertures 9 through which U shaped bolts 10 which are adapted to embracethe axle 11, are passed for the purpose Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2t, 1121?.

Serial No. 40,157.

of securing the plate in position on the axle. Pivotally mounted on theplate on pins 12 and 13 are levers 14 and 15, the forward ends of thelevers being adapted to engage the cam 16 secured to the under side of alever 17 pivotally mounted on a pin 18 secured to the plate. The rearends of the levers 1i and 15 are down turned to engage the opposite endsof a spring 19 located between them. The lever 17 is preferably formedin two portions, the under portion 20 of which has secured to its endface the cam 16 and the top portion 21 of which is secured to theportion 20 by means of a bolt 22 passing through the two portions. Thisbolt is mounted in a slot 23 formed in the end of the portion 20 andextends through a slot 2 1 formed in the portion 21, the slots 23 and orbeing located at right angles to one another so as to afford adjustmentof the portion 21 longitudinaly and transversely of the portion 20. Thepurpose of the longitudinal adjustment is to adapt the device to be usedon cars of various makes, and the purpose of the transverse adjustmentis to permit the portion 21 to be adjusted relatively to the portion 20for the purpose of bringing the levers in correct position after thesteering wheels 25 and 26 of the vehicle have been brought to theirstraight ahead positions. The cam 16 is of such a shape that it willcause the lever 14.- to operate to compress the spring 19 when it ismoved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. and the lever 15will be operated to compress the spring 19 when it is moved by the cammoving in an opposite direction to that of the arrow, although the camis so shaped that the end opposite the front end 27 will cause the lever14 to operate while the opposite end will also swing into engagementwith the opposite lever 15 and cause it to operate, although not to sucha great extent as the lever acted upon by the front end of the cam. Theedges 28 and 29 against which the cam operates are also curved for thepurpose of enabling the cam to work more efficiently in connection withthe levers and for causing the levers to be operated without excessivewear. The means employed for securing the end of the portion 21 of thelever 17, to the reach rod 30 connecting the steering knuckle arms 31and 32 of the wheels 25 and 26, consists of an L shaped plate 33yieldingly secured to the portion 21 of the lever 17 by means of a and50 adapted to engage opposite j them, as in the case of the reach rod 30and holds the angle plate seof the steering knuckle arms 31 and 32 withthem to manner that the levers 14 and 15 are mountbolt 34 having aspring 35 located between gagement with the opposite sides of a cam theportion 21 of the lever 17 and the nut shaped surface 52 formed on theshort end 36 of the bolt. Passing through apertures of an operatinglever 53 pivotally mounted formed in the downwardly extending poron apin 54 located on the plate 48. In this tion 37 of the angle plate 33,are the endswconstruction the opposite sides ofthe cam of a U shapedbolt 38 which embraces the surface 52 are adapted to alternately engagethe opposite straight edges 55 and 56 of the levers 44 and 45, so thatbut one of the levers 44 and 45 will operate at a time, the otherinoperative lever having its end engaging a lug 57 extending upwardlyabove the plate 48 and formed on the adjustable plate 58 secured to theunderside of the plate 48 by means of a bolt 59 mounted in the plate 48and passing through the slot 60 formed in the plate 58. The purpose ofadjustably mounting the stop 57 against which the ends of the levers 44and 45 abut, is to enable the device to be centered when the frontwheels being the same length and permits 25 and 26 of the vehicle arelocated in their swing about their respective pivot straight aheadposition. This permits of pins without lost motion, slides being emthestop being so located that the straight ployed in other steering devicesto compenedges 55 and 56 of the levers 44 and 45 will sate for theunequal center distances, the engage the opposite sides of the camsurface usual construction being to slit the end of 52 with equalpressure when the front the portion 21 of the lever 17 to permit wheelsare located in their straight ahead the bolt 34 to slide therein as thesteering positions. wheels are turned. By reason of the positive meansof securing the end of the por- I claim is: tion 21 to the reach rod 30,the reach rod 1. A safety steering device comprising a which is ofcomparatively small diameter is lever pivotally mounted between itsends, one prevented from vibrating at its center and of the ends of saidlever having cam shaped the yielding connection afforded by the edges, alever pivotally mounted between its spring 35 permits of this vibrationbeing ends on each side of the first mentioned lever absorbed, therebymaterially strengthening in engagement with an adjacent cam shaped thereach rod and preventing crystalli aedge of the first mentioned lever,and means tion thereof- Not only does this means f adapted to yieldinglymaintain the second connection strengthen the reach rod but it mentionedlevers in engagement with the also eliminates the noise occasioned bythe cam shaped edges of the first mentioned vibration of the reach rodat its connection lever, with the knuckle arms 31 and 32. A rod 2. Incombination in a safety steering de- 41 extending thro gh h spri g 9 ipro vice for automobiles a series of levers pivvided for the purpose ofpreventing the otally mounted between their ends, one of spring frombuckling when the spring ensaid levers being located betweenthe-remaingaging ends of the levers 14 and 15 are ing levers, with thelever arms at one end of moved toward one another, the ends of the thelevers in engagement with one another, rod 41 being turned over intoengagement a spring adapted to engage the opposite ends with the lugs42, 43 form d on the lev rs 4 of the remaining levers to maintain thelevers and 15 to prevent its displacement. in yielding engagement withthe centrally In the modification of my improved steerlocated lever, andadjustable means adapted ing device, illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 intochange the normal position of the cenclusive, levers 44 and 45 areprovided, these trally located lever with relation to the relevers beingpivotally mounted upon pins 46 maining levers. and 47 mounted in a plate48, in the same 3. In a safety steering device for automobiles thecombination of a lever pivotally ed upon the pins 12 and 13 in the platemounted between its ends, whereby a short The levers 44 and 45 like thelevers 14 and lever arm and a longlever arm are formed, 15, are providedwith down turned lugs 49 the long lever arm being equal in length toends of the arms of the steering knuckles of the auto- 51 locatedbetween mobile, the short lever arm having a cam preferred form shapedend, a lever pivotally mounted'beof my invention. In thls modified formthe tween its ends on each side of the first meninner edges of thelevers 44 and 45 are tioned lever and having one of its ends straightand are held by the spring 51 in enadapted to engage one side of thecam, the

curely thereto. This construction is such that the center of the reachrod and the center of the bolt 34 are in the same plane with the leverportion 21 capable of adjustment with relation to the portion 20 torender the distance between the pin 18 and the bolt 34, equal to thedistance between the knuckle pin 39 and the pin 40 connecting the endsthe ends of the reach rod 30. This permits of the three levers formingthe knuckle arms 31 and 32 and the lever 17 of the steering device,

a compression sprin opposite ends of the cam-engaging levers beingadapted to engage a spring located between them.

4:. In a safety steering device for automobiles the combination of alever pivotally mounted between its ends on the vehicle axle, said leverconsisting of two portions adjustably secured together, one of saidportions having a transversely extending slot formed therein, the otherportion having a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, saidslots registering with one another, a bolt passing through said slotsadapted to lock said portions together in their adjusted positions,means adapted to yieldingly engage one end of the lever to return thelever to its normal position when it is moved therefrom, and a secondmeans adapted to yieldingly connect the opposite end of the lever to thereach rod of the steering gear.

5. In combination in a safety steering device for automobiles, a leverpivotally mounted between its ends, whereby a short lever arm and a longlever arm are formed, the long lever arm being equal in length to thearms of the steering knuckles of the automobile, the short lever armhaving a cam shaped end, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends oneach side of the first mentioned lever and having one of its endsadapted to engage one side of the cam, the opposite ends of the camengaging levers being adapted to engage a spring located between them,said cam being so shaped as to cause simultaneous operation of both ofsaid cam engaging levers when said first mentioned lever is moved.

6. In a device of the class described, a support adapted to be mountedon the frame of a motor vehicle, a lever pivoted thereto, means forpivotally connecting said lever with a connecting rod, a pair of leverspivot-ed between their ends on opposite sides of said first lever, meansyieldingly tending to draw one end of each of said pair of levers towardone limit of movement, means for fixing said limit of movement, andmeans for operatively connecting said first lever with said secondlevers, whereby movement of said first lever in either direction movesone of said second levers, said last named means being arranged to allowthe other of said levers, during such movement, to remain stationary.

7. In a steering attachment for automobiles, a pivoted arm constructedfor connection to a movable part of the steering mechanism, otherspring-controlled pivoted arms movable in opposite directions intoopposing engagement with the first-named arm, and a support for the armsconstructed for fixed attachment to a relatively fixed portion of thevehicle and provided with stop means for limiting the movement of thesecond-named arms under the action of the spring means controlling them.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th dayof July, 1915.

FREDERICK M. ROSS.

Witnesses:

WALTER F. MURRAY, W. THORNTON BOGERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

